


Practice

by MagicalDragon



Series: Queer Headcanon Fics [4]
Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Biphobia, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Jake Peralta, Bisexual Male Character, Bisexuality, Gen, Trans Jake Peralta, Trans Male Character, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-24 20:07:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14362680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicalDragon/pseuds/MagicalDragon
Summary: “So, uhm, Rosa…”“No,” Rosa said.“What?”“You were going to ask about my sexuality and I’m not in the mood for it,” Rosa said, keeping her eyes on the building they were surveilling.“Actually,” Jake said, feeling himself get more uncomfortable with every syllable. ”I was going to talk about my own.”





	Practice

Jake and Rosa were on a stake out. They had been on countless ones together before tonight, but tonight held the distinction of being their first one since Rosa came out. Said coming out had been both somewhat unsurprising and very momentus for Jake.

While Jake had never technically come out to Rosa, her quick adoption of the correct pronouns had spoken volumes. The academy had been full of people who didn’t get it - and had no interest in respecting Jake, regardless of how much or little they “got” it. Rosa’s quiet acceptance and decisive corrections of others had meant the world to Jake, who had only just started on T at the time.

When Jake had thanked her, she’d given him a look.

“Don’t thank me,” she’d said. “I don’t thank you for getting my name right.”

Jake supposed he didn’t. Still, Rosa actually respecting him had put him pretty close to just straight up assuming she wasn’t, well, straight. It was one of those countless things you didn’t bring up with Rosa - Rosa’s private life had always been strictly _private_ , after all - but even had the circumstances been different, Jake doubted he’d  have brought it up. Not thinking about Rosa’s sexuality made it easier to not think about his own, after all, which was a pretty good deal for Jake.

Well, had been, anyway.

“So, uhm, Rosa…”

“No,” Rosa said.

“What?”

“You were going to ask about my sexuality and I’m not in the mood for it,” Rosa said, keeping her eyes on the building they were surveilling.

“Actually,” Jake said, feeling himself get more uncomfortable with every syllable.”I was going to talk about my own.”

Rosa didn’t look away from the building. To say they had a moment of silence would be lying, as this part of the city was never really quiet, but neither of them said anything till Jake got his courage up.

“I’m…” he sighed. “I’m bi, too.”

Rosa looked at him for a long moment, before turning her eyes back to the building.

“Explains your reaction,” she merely said.

“Yeah, it does, doesn’t it? I hadn’t really thought about it in so long, and then you coming out just brought all of it to the front of my mind and… well, I guess I can’t lie to myself when you’re right next to me being open. Which is a good thing, don’t get me wrong, I just… Well, I’m sure you get this, but lying to yourself can be so much easier and I mean, being trans and all, I just... “

Jake abruptly stopped his rambling.

“Oh, shit, I’m making your coming out all about me, aren’t I?”

“Yep,” Rosa said. “But you helped me out, so I don’t mind.”

“It’s just… dating men is much more intimidating. Even though that was what I was raised to do, if you think about it... but yeah, I - well, you probably feel the same way about women, right? The dating them being more intimidating part, not the being raised to date them part, obviously, so I don’t need to tell you that, I guess, but being trans just puts so much extra pressure on it, especially with a guy.”

“So you think straight girls are less likely to be transphobic than gay and bi men?” Rosa asked.

“Definitely not!” Jake said. ”However, dating them does come without the risk of being called a weird straight girl and that's kind of my jam.”

“Jake.”

“I know, I know, I can’t let fear-”

“No, Jake, the perp.”

“Oh, shit!”

  
  


After bringing they’d brought the perp in, Rosa gave Jake a considering look before turning around.

“Come on,” she told him. “We’re getting shawarma.”

Neither of them said much as they looked for an open place. It was late enough that they didn’t have their pick of places, but not late enough that finding anything was a problem. They bought their food and even as they sat down on a bench with a view of the sea, neither said anything until a few bites in when Rosa broke the silence.

“Not that it matters now that you’re with Amy, but it all depends on the scene,” she said, keeping her eyes on the water. “There are places I wouldn’t go, but there are more open crowds, too.”

“Yeah… yeah, I know…” Jake sighed. “And I know I pass now and that this fear is kind of unlikely at this point, but whenever I’ve tired I just kept thinking “ _well, ya still don’t have a dingus”_.”

Rosa was frowning as she looked at him.

“You don’t get that with women?”

“Of course I do,” Jake said and looked away. “But it’s… different. If a transphobic woman rejects me, I’m being rejected by one person. If a man rejects me, suddenly that’s a whole community that doesn’t want me. I guess I’m just… scared of rejection, if that makes sense.”

Rosa nodded.

“Of course it makes sense, dum-dum,” she said. “I get it.”

“Right, of course you do,” Jake sighed. “You’re just braver than me.”

Rosa rolled her eyes.

“You’re forgetting I only just came out to you. And it’s more practice than bravery.”

Jake chuckled humorlessly.

“Yeah, I was tired of practicing for a long while...”

They fell silent again. A near-full moon was illuminating part of the sea in front of them and it sparkled clearly against the dark all around it. Jake watched it as he ate his dürüm, apart from his occasional glances at Rosa. Neither of them were good at talking about feelings.

“Here’s my advice, Peralta, if you want it,” Rosa said as she got up to throw out what remained of her food. “Tell Amy.”

Jake got up too and walked over to her.

“Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.”

Rosa punched his shoulder and while he was still wincing from it, she pulled him into a hug.

“You'll be alright, Jake.”


End file.
